Phone Call 4-5
by HR always live on
Summary: A one shot, set during episode 4-5 where Ruth calls Harry late at night. HR obviously.


**This one shot is set during series 4, episode 5, when Ruth calls Harry during the episode. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Come over? To your place?" Harry asked softly, unable to believe his ears. Was Ruth really inviting him over to her house, late at night and with no reason? He could hardly dare to believe it. The gentle flirting and gazes held a fraction too long had been going on for months now. Was this the first step to something more?

"Yes," she said, raising his hopes. "I mean, no. It's…"

"What?" he asked in the heavy silence.

"There's someone I want you to meet."

"Oh." Harry felt a wave of disappointment overwhelm him and he hoped it hadn't shown in his voice. She needed him to meet someone, not because of any personal desire to see him. Harry felt surprised at just how strong and bitter the disappointment was, because clearly this… thing with Ruth meant more to him than he'd previously considered. He sighed heavily, and put his jacket on. It seemed like it was going to be a long night, and not in a good way.

* * *

"You can't stay here," Harry told Hicks, a weasel of a reporter. God knows how he'd known Ruth in the first place. She was far too principled and intelligent to be known to a man like that. Harry hoped beyond hope that the acquaintance was not more… personal. A jolt of jealousy ran through him, all the more powerful because of it's surprise.

"Ruth, you can't stay here either," she sighed very quietly but nodded all the same. "I'm going to call Adam and Zaf to arrange a safe house for you both. Excuse me."

He left the kitchen to go into the hall, calling through to the grid. A safe house was arranged quickly, and Adam and Zaf said they'd be at Ruth's house within twenty minutes. Maybe longer if they were being suspicious that they were being followed and needed to lose a tail.

Harry put his phone in his jacket pocket and looked up, surprised to see Ruth standing in front of him. "Where's Hicks?" Harry said quietly.

"Drinking my whisky," Ruth said with disdain. "I wanted to talk to you in private."

"About what?" he asked, his voice going softer, the way it always did when he spoke to her. Especially if they were alone.

"When I called you," she said. "You sounded… strange," she finished, although that wasn't really the word she'd been looking for.

"Tired," he said, avoiding what she was really asking. "A long day."

"Oh," she said quietly, and he could hear the disappointment in her voice. "It sounded like something else," she added.

"Like what?" he asked, moving closer to her, his eyes capturing hers and almost forbidding her to lie.

"When I called, and said… what I said, you sounded as though… you wanted to come over here. With no other inducement. When I told you that I needed you to meet Hicks, you seemed… very disappointed. As if learning that I'd called you for work purposes was very disheartening."

"Of course not," he said, his voice velvety as he looked into her eyes. He knew their faces were inching closer to each other but he did nothing to stop it. "Why else would you call so late, if it weren't related to work?"

"Oh. Okay," she said. Ruth looked away from him and the moment of charged tension had been broken. "I thought you were thinking about something on a more personal level. I made a mistake then." She moved to walk away but Harry wouldn't let her. He grasped her arm and made her look at him. This was a conversation they needed to have, and he wasn't prepared to hide behind the things unspoken between them any longer.

"Of course I want more Ruth," he said in a gravely whisper. "Of course I do. How can you not know that?" He stroked her hair gently with his free hand. "I've always wanted more with you. Has it taken this long for you to notice how I am on the grid with you? The way I always look at you. The way I long for you."

There was a charged silence between them as they looked into each others eyes, and Harry dropped the hand which had a firm grip on her arm. If she wanted to leave this conversation, he wouldn't stop her. "But… Why have you never said anything? It's been months. Years, even. And not a word until tonight. Why?"

"At first, I didn't know if you were interested in me," he said honestly. "I wanted to ask you out to dinner," he said. "But I didn't want to risk a sexual harassment suit if you had no desire to see me somewhere other than Thames House. I'm your boss, you work for me. It's tricky for me to make the first move, if I have no idea you'd be receptive."

Ruth sighed heavily, but Harry wasn't finished. "Over the last few weeks, I've been trying to let you know how I feel. Those conversations in my office that go on just a little too long. Those looks we share across the grid which happen much more often than they should do. I wanted…."

"You wanted to see what I'd do," she said suddenly, as if it were dawning on her for the first time. "How I'd react to your… attentions."

"Yes," he said. "And I hoped that you might… Well, when you called, I hoped it was more personal," he admitted. "Of course I did."

She smiled at him, and he felt his heart jolt in his chest. She had the most beautiful smile which she used rarely at work. "Good. Because I want that too," she said. "I want more with you. Unfortunately, tonight is not the time for us."

"Mm," he agreed, albeit reluctantly. She had a point. Tonight was not their time with a journalist in the next room and Adam and Zaf on their way here, as well as God knew who watching Ruth's house. She put her palm on his chest, the first less than professional touch they'd ever shared. He looked down at her fingertips and then at her face. She was concentrating on her palm and didn't look at him. His shirt was thin and he could feel the heat of her skin through the fabric. He was convinced that she could feel his heart hammering away, just from this simple touch.

He tilted her chin upwards, so she would look at him. She did, and her blue eyes were bright with… something. Lust maybe? Could he be that lucky? Harry had just decided to kiss her, and to hell with the right time for them, when she moved first. She pressed her lips to his, just for a moment of two. Kissing him with her warm, soft and inviting lips. He didn't have time to react, because she was gone almost as soon as it had started. He opened his eyes to find himself alone, Ruth talking to Hicks in the kitchen. He put his fingertips to his lips, wondering if he'd imagined that contact. But he knew he hadn't. His racing heart told him that much.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Adam was leaving the house with Hicks and Ruth moved to follow. Harry took his opportunity and stopped her. Without thinking it through, he pushed her up against the wall and kissed her, a deep passionate kiss. He cradled her face as his lips melded against hers, knowing that they hadn't got a lot of time. Maybe a few seconds before Adam would return to the house to see what was wrong. He pressed his body against hers and heard her moan quietly, one filled with desire and passion. If only they had unlimited time, he'd try and see how many times he could make her moan like that again.

They were both wearing coats, but this was the closest they'd ever been and they were enjoying it thoroughly. Harry stroked his tongue against hers and she arched against him so that he could feel the swell of her breasts against his chest. He wanted her so badly, and he knew this had to stop, because he was becoming aroused. He pulled back from her. "Later," he said breathlessly. "When we have much, much more time."

"Okay," she said smiling. Her lips looked almost bruised by his kisses and he was thankful it was dark outside, so no one would notice. "I'd like to continue this too." She pressed her lips to his once more in parting, before walking out of the front door, Harry close behind her.

* * *

**I noticed in the episode that there's a pause where Harry and Ruth are alone in her house, and I wanted to fill it in a good way. Hope you enjoyed, and it would be great if you could leave a review. Thank you.**


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